Train-pipe coupling.



Patented Sept. I6, |9102;

(Application filed June 5, 1902.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

THOMAS MARSH HENDERSON OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OFTWO-THIRDSVTO CHARLES `PADDOCK STORRS, OF VILMINGTON, DELA- WARE,ANDROBERT RANDOLPH HIOKS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGNIA.

TRAIN-PIPE couPLlNGL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.709,401, dated September 16, 1902.

`Application medium 5,1902. serial No. 110,302. uns man.)

To all wtmn-L't may concern:

Be it known-that I, `THOMAS MARSH HEN DERSON, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk 5 and State ofVirginia, haveinvented acertainf new anduseful Train-Pipe Coupling, ofwhich the followingis a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawlugs.

This inventionrelates to train-pipe coup; lings, includinga compoundsafetylock-joint, whereby the sections of' the pipe may be quickly andeectuallycoupled and locked together. `I5 p One of the principal objectsof the present l invention is to` do" away with the ordinary rubber hoseatpresentin use on passenger1 and freight cars forminga part of theairbrake equipment and to substitute therefor.

coja train-pipelsystem composed entirely ofI metal, with the exceptiononly of the neces-l sary packing-Washersto secure air-tight joints atthe several places where provision mustI necessarilybegn'ade forrelative play or move# z5 ment in order` to `accommodate the Varying;

the engine and tender.

positions andrelations of the cars, including.

The couplinghereinafter described is equal-lv ly well adapted to the useof compressed air 3o or steam.

Other objects and advantages of the inven.

tion will appear inthe course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in certain novel fea- 3 5 tures and detailsofconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth,illustrated, andclaimed.

` In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of asufficient portion of an 4o air-pipe line to illustrate the applicationof` the present improvements thereto. Fig. 2 is anenlarged centralvertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,taken"throu gh the couplingproper,

` showing the manner of combining and lock- 45 ing the parts thereoftogether and also showing the slip-joint. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailsection on the lline 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4

shows in side and edge elevation one of the cam-rings and its lever-arm.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thegu res ofthe drawings.

` The compound safety lock-joint or coupling contemplated in thisinvention comprises, essentially, two coupling heads or sections 1 andEach head or section comprises tion 3 and a smaller outer end portion 4,which is internally screw-threaded, as shown at .5, to enable thecoupling to be associated with the remainder of the pipeor line systemat the proper point. A further object in constructing each of the parts3and 4 of different diameters is to provide on each a shoulder 6 to forma lateral or` side bearing for a cam-ring or collar '7. This cam-ringfits between the shoulder 6 and a retaining b and or collar 8,surrounding the portion 4 of the head and xedly mounted thereon in anycon- The cam-ring 7 is provided which is extended radially at one sideto form a lever-arm or handle 10, by means of which the ring may berevolved on the coupling-head. The ange 9 is notched or cut away insemicircular form adjacent to one side of the han- `dle 10, as shown at11 in Fig. 4. The ringis also provided adjacent to its junction with thehandle'lO with a laterally-projecting stop or limiting-shoulder 12, thepurpose of which will appear. Each of the coupling-heads 1 and 2 isfurther provided at diametrically opposite points withradially-projecting lugs 13 and 14. Projecting laterally from the lug 13of each headis a locking pin or stud 15, having a rounded or pointedextremity 1G and provided adjacent to its extremity with a `notch 17,the outer wall 18 of which is oblique to correspond with the Obliquityof the cam-ange 9 adjacent to thepoint 19, where said flange terminatesin the notch 11, hereinabove referred to. The lug 14 of each head isprovided with an opening 2O to receive the pin 15, so that the notchedand pointed end of the pin on the adjacent coupling-head may be insertedtherethrough.

In assembling the two heads of the coupling they are brought close toand opposite each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that `2, each ofwhich is the exact counterpart of `the other. a'relatively large inneror abutting end por- IOO the pins 15 will pass through .the openings 20,the notches 11 of the cam-rings having previously been brought intoalinement with'the openings 20. The handles 10 are then grasped ,andpulled in opposite directions, whereupon the oblique or cam-facedflanges 9 enter the notches 17 of the pins 15 and by cooperation withthe oblique walls 18 effect a close jamming together of a pair offlexible packingrings 21, having a rabbetedengagement with the couplingheads or sections, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. To uncouple the parts,the operation just described is reversed. The stop-shoulders 12 are solocated on the camrings that when they come in contact with the lugs v14the vnotches 11 register with the openings 20. By the constructiondescribed the sections or members may be quickly associated and takenapart, and when properly associated they are eectively locked togetherand there is no liability of their becoming accidentally disassociated.

22 designates a section of pipe which is screwed into one of thecoupling heads or sections and provided at a point intermediate its endswith a vent-opening 2 22 is slidingly mounted ina thimble or gland 24,provided with a gland -wheel 25, and screwed into a stuffing-box 26 atone end of a tubular elbow 27 and containing suitable packing 27', bymeans of which a tight joint is produced. The pipe 22 is mounted so thatit may slide into the hstuffing-box, thus providing what `may be termeda slip-joint for compensating for variation in the distance between twocars or between the engine-tender and adjoining car. .By turning thegland-wheel 25 the joint may bel kept airtight. In case of derailment ofthe cars or accidental uncouplingof the same the slip- `joint will bedrawn out farenongh to-.expose the vent-opening 22, thus instantlyapplying thebrakes. In case the car should become entirely uncoupled thepipe 22 will be withdrawn entirely from the stuffing-box, but may beagain associated therewith when the cars are brought together.

28 designates a transverse offset or angu-- larly-bent portion of thepipe, and 28' the terminal extensions, which project substantially atright angles to the parts 28 and substantially parallel with the mainbody of the pipe, which is joined by the coupling-heads 1 and 2. In eachof the parts 28 and 28 there is arranged what I term a rotary box 29,allowing the portions of the pipe at either side of the box to have arelative rotative movement. Each box is shown as inclosing two or morerubber rings or gaskets 30, between which is interposed a metal washeror ring 31, the arrangement serving to prevent thev rotary packing-ringsfrom adhering to each other when the parts become heated.' Thisconstruction increases the durability byovercoming the major portion ofthe friction which would otherwise occur.

32 designates a coupling-nut, which encir- The pipe.

cles the vpacking-rings and holds'the adjacent pipe extremitiestogether, while 33 indicates,k

a hand-operated lock-nut for fixing the'adjustmentof the parts andpreventing the same from working' loosel Each rotary box allows for thefree, relative rotatingmovement ofthe pipe-sections at each sidethereof. n

By providing the slip-joint in the. pipe 22 and forming the vent-hole23theinterf1tting y into the vrelation illustrated inA Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

From the foregoing descriptionj'it lwill b'e seen that the ordinaryIiexible or rubber hose y employedin connection with air-brakes isdispensed with and in lieu thereof an all-metallic construction isprovided, which will be found in practice far more durable and reliable,besides adding greatly to the safety of the air-brake system on accountof the fact that when the cars become uncoupled the brakes will beapplied automatically without any attention on the part of the engineer.

The train-pipe coupling hereinabovey described may with a slight changebe adapted to a train-heating system, it only being necessary to provideadditional means for draining from the pipe-line the water ofcondensation. This kis taken care of by providing one of the elbows witha pendent tubular extension 34, as shown-in Fig. 5, said extension beinginternally threaded to receive a screwplug or valve-casing 35. The valveplug or casing 35 is provided withA a conical valveseat to receive acone-shaped valve 36, which is held normally unscated or open by meansof a valve-unseating spring 37, arranged in the cavity beneath thevalve. The upper end of the plug or casing is closed by means of asheet-metal or meshed-wire strainer 38, so as to prevent clogging matterfrom finding access to the valve-seat. In operation as soon as the steamis turned on the pressure forces the valve to its closed position,overcoming the lifting pressure of the delicate spring 37. As soon asthe steam-pressure is shut o the valve unseats itself and the water ofcondensation canthen find Vits way past the valve and downward throughan opening in the plug or casing 35. Y

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to w-ithout departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In train-pipe couplings, a pair of pipesections adapted to slide onewithin the other, the inner section being provided with a Vent- IOO IIO

" 3, scribed..

f i lov ing an elbow connection therewith and provided `with terminalextensions substantially 3, s at right angles thereto and substantiallyparallel With the main pipe-sections, the angular if l I5 nut, alock-nut, `flexible packing-rings inhole intermediate its Vends, astuffing-boxV i mounted on the outer section, a gland at one `endofsaid-stufling-box, packing within the box adapted to be compressed bythegland,

and a hand-Wheel or lock-hut for fixing the the gland, substantially asdei lings `for uniting the adjacent-ends of the pipe-sections, and aslip-joint arranged ad! adjustment of 2. Intrain-pipe cooplings, thecombination with pipe-sections provided y With couplings andaslip-joint, of angular pipe-sections havand terminal `sections beingeach `provided with a rotary box consisting of a couplingclosed by thenut, and ametal ring interposed r between the` leiri le rings,`substantially as described.-

zontal terminal portions, and a transverseV connecting portion, rotaryboxes for permitting relative rotating movement of the transverse andend portions of the sections, coupjacent to the couplings, said jointcomprising slidable end portion is provided with a lateralvent-hole, substantially as and `for the purpose set forth. I l

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.j v,

THOMAS MARSH HENDERSON. `Witnesses: i c i y REXFORD M. SMITH,Y GEORGE M.BOND.

